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AN-225
National Semiconductor
IC Temperature Sensor Application Note 225
Michael X. Maida
Provides Thermocouple April 1979
Cold-Junction
Compensation
INTRODUCTION differs from that of an ideal thermocouple and has nothing to
Due to their low cost and ease of use, thermocouples are still do with nonlinearity. Tolerance is typically ± 3⁄4% of reading
a popular means for making temperature measurements up for J, K, and T types or ± 1⁄2% for S and R types, so that a
to several thousand degrees centigrade. A thermocouple is measurement of 1000˚C may be off by as much as 7.5˚C.
made by joining wires of two different metals as shown in Special wire is available with half this error guaranteed.
Figure 1. The output voltage is approximately proportional to Additional error can be introduced by the compensation cir-
the temperature difference between the measuring junction cuitry. For perfect compensation, the compensation circuit
and the reference junction. This constant of proportionality is must match the output of an ice-point-referenced thermo-
known as the Seebeck coefficient and ranges from 5 µV/˚C couple at ambient. It is difficult to match the thermocouple’s
to 50 µV/˚C for commonly used thermocouples. nonlinear voltage vs. temperature characteristic with a linear
absolute temperature sensor, so a “best fit” linear approxi-
mation must be made. In Figure 2 this nonlinearity is plotted
as a function of temperature for several thermocouple types.
The K type is the most linear, while the S type is one of the
least linear. When using an absolute temperature sensor for
cold-junction compensation, compensation error is a func-
tion of both thermocouple nonlinearity and also the variation
in ambient temperature, since the straight-line approximation
to the thermocouple characteristic is more valid for small
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deviations.
VOUT ≅ ∞(TM − TREF)
FIGURE 1. Thermocouple
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Thermocouple Seebeck R4 R6
Type Coefficient (Ω) (Ω)
(µV/˚C)
J 52.3 1050 385
T 42.8 856 315
K 40.8 816 300
S 6.4 128 46.3
A circuit for use with grounded thermocouples is shown in follows: first short out the LM329B, the LM335 and the ther-
Figure 4. If dual supplies are available, this circuit is prefer- mocouple. Measure the output voltage (equal to the input
able to that of Figure 3 since it achieves similar performance offset voltage times the voltage gain). Then apply a 50 mV
with fewer low TC resistors. To trim, short out the LM329B input voltage and adjust the GAIN ADJUST pot until the out-
and adjust R5 so that Vo = < 5˚C T, where < 5˚C is the See- put voltage is 12.25V above the previously measured value.
beck coefficient of the thermocouple and T is the absolute Next, short out the thermocouple again and remove the short
temperature. Remove the short and adjust R4 so that Vo across the LM335. Adjust the TC ADJUST pot so that the
equals the thermocouple output voltage at ambient. A good output voltage equals 10 mV/˚K times the absolute tempera-
grounding system is essential here, for any ground differen- ture. Finally, remove the short across the LM329B and adjust
tial will appear in series with the thermocouple output. the ZERO ADJUST pot so that the output voltage equals
An electronic thermometer with a 10 mV/˚C output from 0˚C 10 mV/˚C times the ambient temperature in ˚C.
to 1300˚C is seen in Figure 5. The trimming procedure is as
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Thermocouple R1 Seebeck
Type (Ω) Coefficient
(µV/˚C)
J 377 52.3
T 308 42.8
K 293 40.8
S 45.8 6.4
*R2 and R3 are 1%, 10 ppm/˚C. (20 ppm/˚C tracking.)
†
R1 and R6 are 1%, 50 ppm/˚C.
FIGURE 4. Cold-Junction Compensation for Grounded Thermocouple
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CONSTRUCTION HINTS
The LM335 must be held isothermal with the thermocouple
reference junction for proper compensation. Either of the
techniques of Figure 6a or Figure 6b may be used.
Hermetic ICs use Kovar leads which output 35 µV/˚C refer-
enced to copper. In the circuit of Figure 5, the low level ther-
mocouple output is connected directly to the op amp input.
To avoid this from causing a problem, both input leads of the
op amp must be maintained at the same temperature. This is
easily achieved by terminating both leads to identically sized
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copper pads and keeping them away from thermal gradients
caused by components that generate significant heat. *Has no effect on measurement.
b
FIGURE 6. Methods for Sensing Temperature of
Reference Junction
TABLE 1. Nonlinearity Error of Thermometer Using Type K Thermocouple (Scale Factor 25.47˚C/µV)
˚C Error (˚C) ˚C Error (˚C)
10 −0.3 200 −0.1
20 −0.4 210 −0.2
30 −0.4 220 −0.4
40 −0.4 240 −0.6
50 −0.3 260 −0.5
60 −0.2 280 −0.4
70 0 300 −0.1
80 0.2 350 1.2
90 0.4 400 2.8
100 0.6 500 7.1
110 0.8 600 11.8
120 0.9 700 15.7
130 0.9 800 17.6
140 0.9 900 17.1
150 0.8 1000 14.0
160 0.7 1100 8.3
170 0.5 1200 −0.3
180 0.3 1300 −13
190 0.1
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Approximation #1 Approximation #2
Centigrade Type S Zero Error Zero Error
Temperature Thermocouple at 25˚C and 60˚C at 30˚C and 50˚C
Output (µV) Linear Error Linear Error
Approx. µV ˚C Approx. µV ˚C
0˚ 0 −17 −17 −2.7˚ −16 −16 −2.8˚
5˚ 27 15 −12 −1.9˚ 16 −11 −1.7˚
10˚ 55 46 −9 −1.4˚ 47 −8 −1.3˚
15˚ 84 78 −6 −0.9˚ 78 −6 −0.9˚
20˚ 113 110 −3 −0.5˚ 110 −3 −0.5˚
25˚ 142 142 0 0 142 −1 −0.2˚
30˚ 173 174 1 0.2˚ 173 0 0
35˚ 203 206 3 0.5˚ 204 1 0.2˚
40˚ 235 238 3 0.5˚ 236 1 0.2˚
45˚ 266 270 4 0.6˚ 268 2 0.3˚
50˚ 299 301 2 0.3˚ 299 0 0
55˚ 331 333 2 0.3˚ 330 −1 −0.2˚
60˚ 365 365 0 0 362 −3 −0.5˚
65˚ 398 397 −1 −0.2˚ 394 −4 −0.6˚
70˚ 432 429 −3 −0.5˚ 425 −7 −1.1˚
< 5˚C = 6.4 µV/˚C < 5˚C = 6.3 µV/˚C
0.6˚C error for 0.3˚C error for
20˚C < T < 70˚C 25˚C < T < 50˚C
Note 3: Error is the difference between linear approximation and actual thermocouple output in µV. To convert error to ˚C, divide by Seebeck coefficient.
APPENDIX B TECHNIQUE FOR TRIMMING OUT Next, short out the LM329B and adjust the TC ADJ pot so
OFFSET DRIFT that VOUT = (20 mV/˚K − β) x 298˚K at 25˚C. Now remove the
Short out the thermocouple input and measure the circuit short across the LM329B and adjust the ZERO ADJUST pot
output voltage at 25˚C and at 70˚C. Calculate the output volt- so that VOUT = 246 mV at 25˚C (246 times the 25˚C output
age temperature coefficient, β as shown. of an ice-point-referenced thermocouple).
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Book
Extract
End
REFERENCES
R. C. Dobkin, “Low Drift Amplifiers,” National Semiconductor
LB-22, June 1973.
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National does not assume any responsibility for use of any circuitry described, no circuit patent licenses are implied and National reserves the right at any time without notice to change said circuitry and specifications.